New girl again
by ArashiDumas
Summary: A new transfer student is at Degrassi, and she seems to have made a new friend. Being the only one to approach the new girl, Toby has taken it upon himself to make her feel welcome-in more ways than one. Finished!
1. The first day

People were staring at her, she knew. It wasn't everyday a new girl came to school. These people seemed set in their ways, the cliques already formed, friends since the first grade. She hated moving schools, but that's how her father's work was—move to one place, stay a while, move again. Maybe one day she would be able to stay in one place for longer than a few months. Maybe this last move—to Degrassi high—would be the last time she would have to transfer.

She pushed her bright red hair out of her face and looked down at her locker assignment. Locker 864. This was it. 18-9-34, she turned the code carefully, opening the empty locker. She sighed, putting in the newly purchased 15 year-old books on the rusty shelves, trying to figure out how to navigate her way around this building.

The locker next to her swung open. "Hey," a male voice said. "Welcome to Degrassi. Hope you'll like it here."

She looked over at him, slinging the black messenger back with the red half-maple leaf— the logo of a popular anime in Japan—over her shoulder. The boy was tall with dark brown hair and smiling brown eyes behind red-rimmed glasses. "Thanks." She said, a slight English accent showing as she flashed a pearly white smile.

"I'm Toby. Toby Isaacs." He held his hand out for her to shake.

She shook it, almost unsure of whether she should. "Leah. Leah McNichol."

Toby grinned. "Hopefully no one's convinced you to join a club yet. Trivia bowl could use another person."

Leah let out a suppressed laugh. "Convinced me to join a club? You think anybody's actually approached me to say hi? Well, except for you, of course."

"Really?" Toby looked surprised. "That's not cool. Well, we've still got a bit before classes. Come to Trivia Bowl with me."

"Don't you have to be smart for Triv. Bowl?"

"It would help."

"I'm not that smart." She smirked. "Actually, I can't spare a few minutes to go to Triv. Bowl anyways. I have to find my way around this school. I'm so used to private schools, boy, is this gonna be a trip." She held her schedule in front of her, trying to decipher the new text. Every schedule was different—she was never at a school long enough to get two schedules.

Toby gently took the schedule from her. "C'mon, Mr. Simpson's class is this way." He smiled at her.

Leah blushed a light scarlet, making her small brown freckles stand out, which showed the light brown streaks in her bright green eyes. "It seems you're a life saver, Mr. Isaacs." She said.

"It's Toby, and I just like to help." He took her arm slightly and led her in the right direction. When a tall door was looming over them, peering into a computer lab, he stopped. "Here you are. My class is right down the hall; I'll meet you here and help you get to your next class?"

"That sounds uberly great. Thank you, again, Toby. You don't know what this means to me."

"Hey, it's my pleasure." He smiled his little smile and walked off. Leah watched him go, her hand going into the NERV messenger bag and pulling out a journal as she walked in. She took an empty desk at the back of the room and began to write.

_Dear diary—_

_Maybe Degrassi won't be so bad._

-----------Chapter 2 coming soon! This was one of those spur-of-the-moment ideas that I decided to act on. Please tell me if I got something wrong! I really don't know what class Simpson teaches, I just know about him from the few re-runs I've watched. Please review, as constructive crit. is always welcome! Also, a quick disclaimer: Nothing in this story involving the characters or school belong to me, and NERV is belonging to Geonon.--Jaz


	2. After Class

Leah was waiting outside Simpson's class, speaking quietly in her crisp accent to the tall teacher.

"Leah," Toby said with a grin, walking up. "C'mon, let's get you to class."

The red head smiled, turning to him. "M'kay. Bye Mr. Simpson!"

"Good-bye, Leah. Have a good day." Snake shook his head as his two students walked off.

"What's your next class?" Toby asked as Leah pulled out her schedule.

"Math…Room 6."

Toby let out a laugh. "Good. That's my next class."

Letting out a sigh of relief, the girl seemed to relax. "Thank Goddess. I'll know someone there." She looked down at her watch as they neared the class. "Darn! Toby, I totally forgot! I have to go talk to Mr. Raditch."

"Raditch? Why?"

"He was in a meeting with a student this morning when I went to go talk to him. He said he till wanted to meet with me." She began walking backwards. "Don't worry! I'll find my way back here." She smiled and walked off.

Toby watched her go, enchanted by her charm.

"Who's she?" His friend's voice came, waking him from his daze.

"Leah McNichol," he replied dreamily, turning to see the light brown haired boy standing next to him. "Morning, Rick. How are you?"

"Fine, now that I've seen her. How'd a guy like you get a fine specimen such as her?"

"Apparently no one talked to her. Her locker's next to mine." Toby thought for a second. "Hey! What'd you mean by that?"

"I'm just saying. She's the kind of girl who would like Gavin or Craig, not a geek like yourself. Not that geeks are bad." Rick gave a greasy smile.

"Whatever. I'm going to class. Later, Rick." He turned into the classroom.

"Bye."


	3. Introductions

Her face was burning red and her knees were shaking slightly. She hated being in front of the class.

"My name is Leah McNichol. I'm from England. My father is a traveling medical teacher, so I move around with him. Nothing special." She smiled, gave a small bow, and took an empty seat next to Toby.

"I thought it was fake," Toby said quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"Your accent. I thought it may have been a ploy to get people to notice you."

"No. It's real, derived from Henrey Higgens himself." She smiled. "And people don't like me or notice me because of my accent anyways."

"I guess not…" he sighed, not knowing what to say. He felt like such a dork. E watched her copy down a few figures from the board. She worked the problem for a few seconds and then threw her pen down on the notebook with a heavy sigh.

She looked at Toby. "I can't do this," she whispered.

He smiled and moved over to her desk. "Here, let me help." He took the pen and did a few calculations, showing her step by step how to do it.

"So...I do this?" Leah asked, quickly writing down the steps.

Toby wasn't listening. He had caught the scent of Leah's hair--tangerine--and was lost in the thought of what it would be like to touch it. The fiery locks had to be soft--all their shine had to count for something. "Right, Toby?...Toby?"

"Huh?" It was the second time he had to be pulled out of his daze today. He hadn't been like this since he met Kendra. He looked down at the page with the frilly cursive scroll in purple pen.

"Is this right, Toby?" Leah asked again.

"Yeah. Good job." He smiled at her.

She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Goddess." She wrote down a few more notes before looking up at him. "Could you come over to my place tonight and help me learn this?"

Toby nodded. "I would be more than happy to."

"Thanks so much!" She smiled broadly as Toby went back to his desk.


	4. Lunch

Chapter 4: Lunch

The empty table stared at her like a beacon of her loneliness. Long faced, Leah sat, taking a sandwich and notebook from her bag. Soon, she was spun into her own world of peanut butter, jelly, and writing, oblivious to the person talking to her.

"I'm Rick," he said again, sitting down.

Slowly, Leah was pulled from her own world. "Oh," she said quietly. "Sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Leah."

"I know. Toby was telling me about you earlier."

Leah's eyes lit up at the mention of Toby. "Toby? Where is he?"

"His class is on the other side of the building. He'll be here soon."

"Talking' about me?"

Leah looked up, smiling at her newfound friend. "Glad you could make it."

"Glad you found us. I see you've already met Rick." Toby sat his tray down and lounged back in his chair. "What're you writing?"

"My next novel," she answered dryly, her pen smoothly moving along the paper.

"Wow," Rick breathed. "A novel?"

Leah nodded, not looking up. "It will be hard to get it published--my publisher is a dandelion in Japan."

"Dandelion?" Toby asked.

"Her name is Tanpopo Watase. Tanpopo means Dandelion." She took a bite of her sandwich as a boy with punk skater hair and light blue eyes tapped her shoulder.

"New girl," he said, trying to pull her arm. "We need to talk to you."

Toby looked up at the boy. "Spinner," he said, a dangerous edge in his voice.

Leah got up with a shrug, following Spinner to a table where two African-American students, one male, one female, and two blonde primma-donna looking girls.

"Spinner," the boy said, pointing to himself. "Jimmy, Hazel, Paige, Emma."

"I speak English," Leah had a droll tone, her accent clearly showing her origins. "What is this about?"

"Why are you hanging out with that fluffy faired killer?" The girl called Paige asked in a demeaning tone.

"He's a killer?" Leah's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"My best friend, Terri," Paige began, "is in a coma because of him."

"Look," Leah took a step back. "I'll hang with whoever I want. Sorry about Terri." She smiled, turned on her heel and walked back to Toby and Rick. "Friends of yours?"

"I dated Spin's sister a while back. He's not too happy with me since I dumped her." Toby smirked, looking down at the saggy macaroni on his tray. "Anybody want this?" he asked, pushing the tray away from him.

"I can barley look at it," Rick said in disgust.

Leah let out a laugh. "Goddess, I wish they served food her like they did back...well, no where I've ever lived has had bad food for lunch...until now." She looked down at her watch. "I gotta jet, guys. I need to go to my locker and I want to find my own way to class." She smiled, picking up her bag. "See you later."


	5. Meeting Dad

Chapter 5

Leah led Toby into the large third floor penthouse, which smelled of chocolate chip cookies.

"Does your mom stay home and make cookies all day?" Toby asked when his nose was hit by the smell.

"My dad does," Leah replied, dropping her bag by the door. "Pops! I'm home!"

A black haired, green-eyed man looked up from his newspaper that lay on the table he sat at. "Welcome home, Leah. How was your day?"

She dropped her keys in a glass bowl filled to the top of keychains. "It was okay. Pops, this is Toby."

"Hi there, Toby!" Her father smiled. "It's nice to see Leah bring home a friend."

"Hello, sir," Toby gave a small grin. "It's nice to meet you."

Leah got a plate and loaded it with cookies. "C'mon, Tobe. Let's go upstairs." She grabbed her bag, kissed her father on the cheek, and led her friend upstairs.

Her room was painted purple. It had a large circular bed in the center of the room and a nightstand next to it. Two boxes lay still taped on the floor; the closet door was open, clothed filling its small interior.

"Sorry nothing's unpacked," she was saying. "We didn't have much time after classes last night." She plopped down on the bed, taking out her notebook.

"Classes?"

"Yeah, you know I told you that my dad was a professor. I'm the TA for his night radiology class." She looked down at her math book, beginning their homework.

After about an hour of munching on cookies and working on various math problems, Toby looked up at her. "Hey, Leah…What did Spinner and Paige say to you today at lunch?"

Leah took a bite of the last cookie with a shrug. "Something about Rick putting Ter…Terri? In a coma."

"So you probably hate him too."

"Why should I? " Leah asked with a small laugh. "Look, Toby: What happened in the past is history. All before I got here, therefore, I can't judge Rick—or anyone else—by what they did before me. Otherwise, I would have no friends at all."

"I guess that makes sense." Toby smiled. "I'm glad you're here, Leah."

"You know, for once in my life, I'm glad I moved." She finished the cookie she was nibbling on. "Let's finish this. If f(x)8x15 and x10…"


	6. An Interesting Night

"Pops!" Leah called, taking her car keys from the key dish. "I'm going to Ashley's!"

Her father looked up from grading papers. "Alright, dear. When will you be home?"

"We're staying over there. Sorry to skip work, but I'll be home in the morning and pull double duty tomorrow night."

He laughed. "Of course not, dear. Go have fun."

"Thanks, Pops. See ya in the morning!."

Sh left, getting in the small car she had gotten from her father's university and drove off to Ashley and Toby's home. It had been a week since she had moved into the penthouse, and Leah had become close with Toby's step-sister, and her friend, Craig. Tonight was a girl's movie night Ashley had put together to help Leah get closer to other girls at Degrassi.

Leah was last to arrive. Paige, Emma, and Hazel were already lying on the ground under blankets, watching a basketball game when Ashley answered the door. Leah smiled at the girls in an attempt to get along with them.

As soon as Leah laid down, Ashley put the first movie in.

---------------------------------------------------------

"Where's your bathroom?" Leah asked when the movie was over.

"Upstairs. Just go straight when you get to the landing."

"thanks." She went upstairs, following Ashley's simple directions. When she emerged from the lighthouse decorated oom, looking into the light that shown in from a nearby room, smiling instantly as she found Toby typing away on his laptop.

"Hey!" She giggled, traipsing in.

Toby looked up and turned around, looking at her. "Hey," he replied, showing a grin.

"What're you working on?" she asked.

"Checking out some anime stuff. How's movie night?"

"Boring." She smiled. "But that's okay. It was a nice thought Ashley had."

"Yeah…She's sweet." Leah peered over his shoulder. "Hey! Last Exile. It was major huge back in Japan."

"You like anime?" Toby looked surprised.

"Yeah, totally! I mean, I lived in Japan for a year. How could I not learn to like it?" She laughed. "Anyways, I'm gonna go back downstairs before they start to think I fell in."

"Right. I'll see you later." He watched her walk down stairs with a small sigh. Leah laid down on the couch while the next movie started.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leah looked at the ceiling in the darkness. The other girls had gone upstairs to do their hair, their loud music blaring. Soft footsteps were heard going down the steps. She sat up, seeing Toby looking back at her.

"Evenin', Ma'am," he grinned.

Her face grew red, but he couldn't see it. This guy, who was so nice to her, was standing before her, in nothing but boxer shorts, obviously not expecting her to be still awake downstairs. "Hey. What'cha doin'?"

"Getting some water." He didn't seem embarrassed in the least as he padded into the kitchen, getting down a glass and filling it with ice water. He sat down next to her. "how was it?"

"No better than when I saw you." She smiled at him. "What'd you do all night?"

"Absolutley nothing. It was totally and uterly boring. I…" he stopped, the light catching her face perfectly so that she looked almost angelic, yet so mysterious. "Leah, can I…Can I kiss you?"

Leah's features were soft. "No, Toby," she whispered. "I can't let you do that." She smirked, but it was very visable as she leaned in towards a disappointed Toby and lightly touched his chin, pulling it up so his lips met hers.

He pulled back after a second, confusion written all over his face. "But you just said—"

"That you couldn't kiss me. Not that I couldn't kiss you."

Still confused, he asked "May I kiss you now?"

"You may," she whispered, hating to be so formal as their lips met again and her arms slowly wrapped around his neck. They stared at each other for a few seconds, before Toby pushed Leah onto her back, caressing it softly. "Stop teasing me, Toby," she whispered, barely audible. "If you're to do it, do it without toying me."

Toby smirked and kissed her once more.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Toby woke before anyone else. He had gone back upstairs to sleep, after the night he and Leah had spent with each other. He felt a grin come to his face as he went downstairs, passing Ashley's room where the girls all lay passed out from their fun, their once perfect hairdos quickly becoming sleep-ridden hair-don'ts. Last night, Leah's perfect hair had become tangled, but it had been soft. Toby had been right about that.

And it had felt so good. He looked at her, lying there on the couch, fast asleep. She had looked so mysterious last night, but she had revealed all her secrets to him. Heart to heart. He kneeled next to her, kissing her cheek and pushing that soft, full red hair out of her face. He smiled at her, before realizing what had happened the night before. What if he had gotten her pregnant? Or given her a STD? How could he ruin her? They were too young to have kids. What if…?

She let out a slow, hesitant breath as she opened her eyes. "Hmmmmm…." She groaned, not the pleasurful one of last night, as she looked up at him, waiting for her vision to clear. "Hey," she whispered as a smile formed on her lips. "Mornin'"

"Leah," He breathed. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Leah sat up wth a yawn, rubbing her eyes.

"For what happened last night…We…I mean…It was all my fault."

She laughed. "You? I think not, Toby. It was both of us."

"Leah…I could have gotten you pregnant."

"You're worried about that? Nothing a quick test won't solve. I'll take one when I get home. Please don't worry, Toby."

Toby's face was still mixed with worry and concern. "Leah—"

"You sure missed a party last night, Leah," Paige said with a yawn as she came downstairs. She looked at the expressions on Toby and Leah's faces, a confused one coming across her own.

"Nice hair, Paige," Toby said, shaking his head, beginning to go upstairs. "Call me for breakfast."


	7. The Test

chapter 7: The Test

10 minutes. She had to leave in ten minutes. Leah was pacing in the bathroom, waiting for the small line to appear on the EPT strip.

"Leah, honey," hyer father called. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, pops. Just having trouble putting my contacts in."

"Hurry up. You need to leave soon."

"I know pops. I'll be ready."

"Okay, sweetie," she heard her father walk away as she picked up the EPT again.

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Toby was standing with his back to his locker, waiting impatiently for Leah. He couldn't get that night out of his mind--or the possible result of that night. He had to know the results of that test.

"You look nervous," Rick said, approaching Toby with a broad grin.

"Test in Kwan's today," Toby replied naturally.

"But you have such a way with words. Why are you worried?"

"I really don't know..."

"she's gotten to your head, Toby."

"What?" Toby sighed. "Sorry, Rick, it's just one of those days."

"Right." Rick smirked. "Bye, man." he waved and walked off.

Toby sighed again, leaning back on his locker, looking at the ceiling. In a few minutes, his whole world could change.

"Toby!" Leah cried, running to him, hugging him tightly.

"Leah...Did you? Are you? Leah?"

She looked up at him, pushing her hair out of her eyes. She shook her head. "No, Toby. I'm not. No worries." She smiled and kissed him softly.

Toby let out a sigh. "you're sure?"

"Positive," she turned to her locker, opening it and discarding her books.

"Hey, Leah?"

She looked over at him. "Yeah?"

"I know that I should have asked you this a while ago, but will...will you be my girlfriend?"

Leah laughed. "After the other night, it would be a crime to say no."

"Don't say yes just because--" he was interrupted by another kiss.

"You talk to much, Isaacs." She smiled. "go to class."


	8. The Call

Chapter 8: The call

Leah walked out of the bathroom, towel drying her hair as the phone rang. She sighed and picked it up, taking the towel off.

"McNichol residence," She yawned.

"Hey Leah-Bea!" The English accented woman gushed.

"Mom?"

"Hiya, sweetie. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Mom...What's wrong?"

"Does something have to be wrong for me to call my daughter?"

"Yes." Leah sighed and sat down on the couch. "You either want money or you got divorced..._again_. Which is it?"

"Neither. I'm calling to tell you about a decision your father and I made. You're moving back to England with me, unitl your father's done in Toronto."

"Woah, move back with you? You know Dad's never going back to England. Besides, I actually like it here."

"Darling, you's have a better life here, rather than moving all the time."

"Mom...I have a good life here. I have a boyfriend who loves me, and a bunch of close fiends. Don't make me move away from all of it."

"Leah--"

"I have to go. I have a date."

"Your father already has your plane ticket. You're leaving tomorrow afternoon." She hung up, leaving Leah crying on the other end.

The doorbell rang. "Come in," she called between sobs.

Toby walked in, a boquet of flowers under his arm, to find his teary-eyed girlfriend. He ran over to her, kneeling next to the couch, hugging her tightly. "Leah, what is it?"

"My mom..." she sobbed. "She's making me move back to England."

Toby's eyes went wide with shock. "She's what? Leah...Leah, you can't leave me."

"I know, Toby. What am I going to do?"

"I don't know. C'mon, Leah. Let's not think about it. I'll talk to your dad later. For now, let's watch the movie I brought."

Leah nodded, moving over to make room for him as he put the movie in. Leah smiled when she saw the familiar Last Exile eye catch pop up. She hummed along to the theme song, laying her head on Toby's lap.

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After the movie was over, Toby was still stroking Leah's hair. She had fallen asleep peacefully.

Mr. McNichol walked in, humming to himself. "Ah, Toby, how nice to see you."

Toby looked at him. "Excuse me, sir, but I need to speak with you about Leah. Is she really moving?"

"I'm afraid so." Fred sighed. "I'm terribly sorry."

"Why?"

"Her mother misses her."

Toby sighed. "Please don't let her leave."

"I already have her ticket. She's leaving tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Toby looked down at his sleeping girlfriend, stroking her hair once again. "Is there anyway I can move with her?"

Fred sighed, taking some papers from his bag and a green pen to grade them. "Your parents, Toby. You can't leave with out their permission. Besides, we only have one ticket. I'm sorry, Toby, I am."

Toby stood, careful not to wake Leah. "I guess...I guess I'm going to go. I'll be at the airport tomorrow. What time?"

"Her plane leaves aat five in the afternoon."

He nodded and bent down, kissing Leah lightly. "See you tomorrow, Leah."


	9. Exodos

Chapter 9: Exodos

Leah stood at the terminal, waiting to board her plane.

Toby squeezed her hand tightly, trying to keep the tears from falling. "Leah," he whispered.

"Toby, don't. It's been fun. I'll be back soon." She smiled at him as the woman behind the counter asked for her passport and ticket. After giving it, Leah turned to Toby, tears welling in her eyes as she hugged him tightly. "I love you, Toby."

"Come home. Come home a lot. And email me every day--just so I know you're okay." He let out a long breath then kissed her.

Leah nodded, and went down the walk way, saying a silent good-bye to Degrassi.

--End--

A note from Jaz--Wow. I finished one! My first ever fic that's ever been finished--at least on paper. I've actually finished all of them in my head, but I can't write it all that fast--there's no time! anyways, when I started this one, I wasn't expecting what happened on "Time Stands Still" to happen. So, go read the sequel to "New Girl Again", called "Coming Home"! Please Review!!!--Jaz


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